Why Do We Lose The Christmas Spirit?

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Every year Christmas brings out the best and worst in us. We beat each other up in store aisles to get the last toy of the year.

We drive too fast on ice covered streets yet can’t wait to get home to family and friends.

While not every family get together is totally cordial; most of us put our petty problems aside and try to have a good time.

Religion vs. Commercialism

Jesus is the reason for the season but the store shelves are loaded with Star Wars toys and collectibles. So for some, keeping the two separate is often a challenge.

But the one underlying theme of Christmas is, “Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men.” In today’s world the masculine use of “men” is probably the only comment this blog will generate.

In other words, people live in this world other than you. And they deserve your respect and consideration. Keep peace with your neighbor and wish him or her good will.

While Christmas is expensive for some it should be a time when we’re closer to those we love. And that’s a priceless gift.

Keeping Christmas Going

Why do we seem to lose the Christmas spirit as the year drags on? I think I have the answer.

We make Christmas special rather than making it the norm. We only have to turn on our best behavior for a month of so.

Then we can go back to our humdrum lives that we are used to. Our comfort zones where we’re nice when we want to be and not so nice when we want to be.

We are not used to being nice to each other in our daily lives. To give a cheerful “Merry Christmas” greeting to perfect strangers.

It’s as if being nice was some form of weakness.

I would say that at best we try to maintain civility to each other. And even that is sometimes a challenge.

Some Final Thoughts

The story told in Dickens’, “A Christmas Carol” speaks of a man who finds Christmas and keeps it in his heart and practice year round.

We need to extend our actions from a month to twelve months. The Christmas Spirit should not be forced behavior — it should be normal behavior.

Why should we settle for “Peace on Earth” for a month rather than millenniums?

Why not set a goal that’s easy to keep. A New Years Resolution that will take almost no effort. See if you can extend the Christmas Spirit of good will to everyone you meet for an extra month.

If that works try two months. What if we made 12 months of Christmas behavior normal behavior? That’s hope and change I would be down with. Comments below.